Let us set out into the deep! We can count on the power of the same Spirit who was poured out at Pentecost and who urges us still today to start out anew, sustained by the hope "which does not disappoint" (Rom 5:5). On this journey we are accompanied by the Blessed Virgin - Star of the Sea - the radiant dawn and sure guide for our steps and by the intercession of our martyr, Blessed Peter To Rot.

+Francesco Panfilo, SDB

Archbishop of Rabaul

Archdiocese of Rabaul was blessed to have His Eminence John Cardinal Ribat visit from 28 December 2016 to January 3 2017. Here is Archbishop Panfilo embracing the Cardinal on arrival at Tokua Airport Rabaul.

John Cardinal Ribat at Malagunan with His Excellency Archbishop Francesco Panfilo sdb, Metropolitan Archbishop of the New Guinea Islands

A
new receiver was installed on the 16th of March this year at
Malmaluan. This has enabled the Voice of Blessed Peter Torot to cover wide
area.

Having
this good news for the radio, the Voice of Blessed Peter Torot also lack
equipment’s to move up to this new level of evangelization in this era of
modern technology.

A charity dinner was hosted on the 26th
of May 2017 to raise funds for much needed equipment,

The
event was successful and saw more than 300 guests turn up to attend the
fundraising.

According
to the Radio,
News and Coordinator of the Communications Office, and the organizer of the
Fundraising Charity Dinner, Sr Daisy Anne Lisania, MSC, indeed the word Charity
means Communication.

She
added by saying, what a way to say that the Charity Dinner was towards
Communication rather it was more like Communication is Charity.

Sr
Daisy said that a lot of people have the notion that the Archdiocese of Rabaul
is rich and may ask why the Voice of Blessed Peter Torot Radio team hosted such
an event?

She
stated that the Archdiocese of Rabaul has abundant Educational Institutions,
Health Centres and Pastoral Offices which have already existed for many years
serving our communities, some in the most remote parts where hardly any
government support reaches them.

She
said that to serve our people, the Archdiocese has to make sure its human
resources are fairly paid and that their basic needs are met.

Sr
Daisy added that many times in harsh situations when government funding is cut
or slow in reaching our employees, the Archdiocese has to step in to support.

She
said that, therefore, in these conditions, divine providence comes from many
wonderful hearts like those who attended the charity dinner.

"With this background, I felt, I
must do something to get the radio station going, to be self-sufficient, and to
be able to tell people that the radio belongs to you," she said.

Sr
Daisy stated that she began the fundraising last year with a fete.

"I felt like Mother
Theresa of Calcutta, sometimes walking out of a government office with a
promise 'please come back after a week',
when I
went back, the member was out for good. I walked with tears welled in my eyes,
but I never gave up, I turned to ordinary people just like you, who gave from
their hearts, who cared and who knew the difference that giving made communications to reach out," she said.

She
added that the radio station The Voice of Blessed Peter Torot is young, it is
operating on 88.1fm on a 10 to 20 km radius and 91.3fm on a thousand kilo watts
reaching all of Rabaul and parts of New Ireland and it is a big step for the
radio team.

She
said that the Voice of Blessed Peter Torot team is thankful to the Archbishop
Francesco Panfilo for his great interest and for his continuous concern over
the years for the radio.

Sr
Daisy added that through his Excellency Archbishop Francesco Panfilo, generous
benefactors overseas provided a digital studio and the whole equipment that the
Voice of Blessed Peter Torot is using now through Radio Maria Rome.

She
said that a month ago our receiver was installed at Malmaluan giving us a major
boost. It means that our team has to work extra hard but without much needed
equipment, we cannot do much, and therefore, a charity was hosted.

She
added that the number of people present at the event was an indication that we
are together in this and we will support and uphold you and walk with you
because communication is Charity and we are Charity itself.

By: Elizabeth Gavuri

Fear not for I am with you, Isaiah 43:5, is the World Communications Day theme for the year 2017.

As per the celebration for the Voice of Blessed Peter Torot under the Communications Office of the Archdiocese of Rabaul, the day was commemorated with students from schools in the vicinity of the Archdiocese come together and celebrated with a social media interaction focusing on the students on how communication based on mobile phones and social media affects them.

Vunapope International Catholic School, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Secondary School, St Channel College of Secondary Teaching, Teachers from the schools and St Mary's Vunapope and other participants joined in for a Communication and social media interaction were different speakers spoke on different issues regarding communication, the use of mobile phones and social media and the students also had a chance to speak their views about the disadvantages of social media.

Radio Personnel of the Voice of Blessed Peter Torot, Mr Joe Dunlee spoke on the decree on the means of Social Communication, the Inter Mirifica.

According to Dunlee, Inter Mirifica means 'Among the Wonderful'.

"The Second Vatican Fathers saw the potential opportunity for collaboration between people on local and international levels as a means to further the progress of humankind. The Council suggested the establishment of a World Communications Day, a day for every man and woman who believe in God to pray and reflect about the future and the present problems with media. It was recommended that meetings involving media professionals be instituted to explore ways to press for progress in media", he said.

He said that the Inter Mirifica opened the door for others to walk through and explore in much more depth the realities of the media world.

He also said that media is one of the marvellous inventions human beings have created. It has an ability to lift humanity or damage it. If it is misused, there will be damage done to the world.

Dunlee stated that the highest calling of media is to reveal truth, truth as it relates in some fashion to the good news of salvation. Media should promote the unity of people and assist in the struggle to improve the quality of life in societies.

He said that on the Pastoral Activity of the Church here is a need in the world for Catholic press and the production of good, moral films and programs. The Vatican Two Fathers recommend a follow up document be generated in the future, to address the pressing issues of the day.

Dunlee stated that the goal of Catholic media is to form, strengthen, and spread public views which are in harmony with the natural law and with Catholic teachings and precepts. The Church is to use whatever media is available to enlighten the human mind of all the various cultures in the world. The Church needs to also transmit religious broadcasts to individuals who for various reasons cannot gain access to the Church and specifically to the Gospel message.

"The future of humanity appears to be becoming more and more reliant and shaped by media. There should be great concern given for the direction media is taking. Concern should be given because unlike any other period of time in history, media is seriously affecting the fate of humanity. The vigilant message to media needs to be one of encouragement for responsible people in the media to begin seeking more what is ultimately good for humanity", he said.

Having that in mind, the students then participated in a social media interaction.

As we are in the 21st century with great advancement of technology, students and people all over the world are exposed to mobile phones and social media.

Social media is defined in so many ways, however, in simple terms; social media is web and mobile technologies that facilitate communication between people and organizations.

There are advantages and abuses of social media in people’s everyday life. On the good side, social media is used for communication, for learning new things, exploring creativity, keeping in touch with friends and family, keeping up to date with the latest news and happenings in and around the world, for personal use, and social interactions like having to meet new friends all around the world.

On the other hand, social media has its disadvantages which the students themselves presented in their groups and they are, social media creates violence within families, downloading of pornographic materials, it takes up much of students time from studies, influences peoples dressing codes, changes peoples culture, exchange of fake images, costs a lot of money, causes teenage pregnancy, school fights are caused, students become obsessed and causes cybercrimes like cyber bullying and discrimination on social media.

Social media is here to stay and having both good and bad effects, it is up to everyone to use social media wisely in order to avoid the disadvantages of it.

To end of the celebration was the keynote speaker who gave a very important and encouraging talk to the students based on the Holy Father’s message for the 51st World Communications Day.

The keynote speaker Fr Mathias Lopa spoke about the Holy Father Pope Francis message for the World Communications Day which is 'Hope'.

"Let us not fear but trust in God, that what we do, what we share, our experience through communication should convey what is true," he said.

He said that Pope Francis tells us that communication is one of the modern technologies which is used to make it quicker and a more sufficient way of passing on information, new discoveries, and new forms of intellectual means to promote and develop our way of passing on information to everyone.

Fr Lopa also said that let us not deny the fact that we need to communicate, we need to promote, and we need to upgrade our way of relationship and our way of passing on information to others.

He said that communication is one of the technologies that are created to suit the needs of the present citizens in the world.

Technology is part of civilization and we need to be civilized in order to use latest means to convey, to affirm and to create a society that is based on honest information, he said.

He said that we must not only pass on information but also express our faith, by passing of the, message of Jesus Christ.

Fr Lopa stated that communication is also a means of economy progress and profit making, however, it can also be a means to manipulate and change the mindsets of people and it can also be used as a means of exploitation in future.

He said that we all have a social responsibility to adjust, to judge and see that information we are getting is correct.

He also said that information is easily accessed from the media and we are bombarded with so much information, it is good but on the other hand it can result in devastation as some information can be false.

Stand on the truth following Jesus as the means of communication and as the first communicator, he said.

Fr Lopa encouraged the students to take communication seriously as a process of their development in academic progress and research for further studies.

Sr. Daisy Anne Lisania MSC- Communications Office Archdiocese of Rabaul CARDINAL Sir John Ribat arrived in East New Britain yesterday afternoon to a rousing welcome at Tokua airport. When he stepped out of the airplane, his people from the Balanataman LLG in Rabaul district gathered on the tarmac shouted with joy as they welcomed him. He was greeted at the airport by Deputy Prime Minister Sir Leo Dion, Archbishop of Rabaul Francesco Panfilo, former Archbishop of Rabaul Karl Hesse, Rabaul MP Dr Allan Marat, Pomio MP Elias Kapavore and other officials. This is Cardinal Ribat’s maiden visit to ENB since his appointment by Pope Francis on Nov 19. While in ENB, he will celebrate mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral at Vunapope, St Joseph’s Parish at Malaguna, OLSH Parish at Volavolo, St Xavier Catholic Church at Kuragaga in Rabaul and St Mathew Parish at Vunamarita in Gazelle.

The Vision has its foundation in the bible. It expresses,"Sensitivity"of the Past, "Awareness of the Present", and "Expectations of the Future". Not what we like but what God likes; not what we want to do, but what God wants us to do. The work God wants is this; that you believe in the One whom God has sent. (Jn 6:29). To believe in Jesus Christ then is the way to arrive definitely at salvation".

Our Mission

"Go and make disciples of all nations. (Mt 28:19a)

The Mission of "God's family in the world" follows Jesus' mission. The life of God's family must reflect Jesus' life. Since we can do nothing without Him, we have to meet Jesus in His Word (Jesus as Prophet); we meet Him in the Sacraments (Jesus as Priest); we meet Him in our brothers and sisters (Jesus as Shepherd).

Know more about the Archdiocese of Rabaul

What we have learned from Pope Francis's apostolic letter concluding Year of Mercy

1. Priests’ permission to absolve the ‘grave sin’ of abortion has been extended

“I wish to restate as firmly as I can that abortion is a grave sin, since it puts an end to an innocent life. In the same way, however, I can and must state that there is no sin that God’s mercy cannot reach and wipe away when it finds a repentant heart seeking to be reconciled with the Father. May every priest, therefore, be a guide, support and comfort to penitents on this journey of special reconciliation.”

2. SSPX priests can continue hearing confessions

“For the Jubilee Year I had also granted that those faithful who, for various reasons, attend churches officiated by the priests of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X, can validly and licitly receive the sacramental absolution of their sins. For the pastoral benefit of these faithful, and trusting in the good will of their priests to strive with God’s help for the recovery of full communion in the Catholic Church, I have personally decided to extend this faculty beyond the Jubilee Year, until further provisions are made, lest anyone ever be deprived of the sacramental sign of reconciliation through the Church’s pardon.”

3. Mercy must last a lifetime, not just a year

“In the sacramental life, mercy is granted us in abundance. It is not without significance that the Church mentions mercy explicitly in the formulae of the two ‘sacraments of healing’, namely, the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation and the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. In the first, the formula of absolution reads: ‘God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace’.”

4. We must be active in implementing social justice

“The social character of mercy demands that we not simply stand by and do nothing. It requires us to banish indifference and hypocrisy.”

5. Introduction of the World Day of the Poor on 33rd Sunday

“I had the idea that, as yet another tangible sign of this Extraordinary Holy Year, the entire Church might celebrate, on the Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time, the World Day of the Poor. This would be the worthiest way to prepare for the celebration of the Solemnity of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, who identified with the little ones and the poor and who will judge us on our works of mercy … It would be a day to help communities and each of the baptized to reflect on how poverty is at the very heart of the Gospel … This Day will also represent a genuine form of new evangelisation … which can renew the face of the Church.”